Northern Rangelands Trust

At NRT, we have always believed that the success of community-led conservation lies in creating the space, knowledge and confidence for communities to make informed decisions that shape their own future.

Following continuous and coordinated community engagement and Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) discussions involving local communities, the Turkana County Government, and other vital stakeholders, communities in Letea, Turkana County have successfully elected the inaugural Board of their newly established Letea Community Conservancy.

The newly elected Board comprises 19 members, including six women, reflecting the community's commitment to inclusive leadership and representative governance. The election followed an extensive community sensitisation process conducted across 16 villages, ensuring broad participation by women, youth, persons with disabilities, and other community members.

Over the coming months, we shall support the board members through governance and leadership training as they begin laying the foundations of the conservancy, which include establishing operational structures, strengthening financial accountability, and recruiting key personnel. To complement this process, the County Government of Turkana will provide technical guidance on the required legal, legislative and administrative frameworks.

Supported through the European Union-funded "𝘚𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘌𝘹𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘈𝘥𝘫𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘒𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘱𝘰–𝘛𝘶𝘳𝘬𝘢𝘯𝘢 𝘓𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘜𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘒𝘦𝘯𝘺𝘢" project, the establishment of Letea Community Conservancy forms part of wider efforts to strengthen community stewardship, conserve shared ecosystems, and improve livelihoods across the western Turkana borderland.

We were delighted to welcome Conservation International's Africa Field Division leadership team to our headquarters in Nanyuki earlier today for a strategic partnership dialogue aimed at reflecting on our shared impact and exploring new opportunities to strengthen our collaboration.

For many years, Conservation International has been a valued partner in strengthening community-led conservation, promoting good governance, restoring rangeland health, and advancing climate resilience across northern and coastal Kenya.

One of the partnership's most transformative areas has been advancing the leadership and empowerment of women. By strengthening our Gender and Social Inclusion programme, and creating safe spaces for women to connect, learn from one another, and inspire confidence to lead, more women are emerging as decision-makers, mentors, and champions of sustainable development.

This shared commitment also extends to education. Through the Female Teacher Mentorship Programme, NRT and Conservation International are supporting girls to remain in school by providing mentorship, guidance, and positive role models—helping more young women realise their potential and become future leaders within their communities.

Together, we are working alongside communities to develop locally-led solutions that transform lives, strengthen livelihoods, and restore ecosystems, while adapting to an ever-changing conservation and development landscape.

Many girls in northern Kenya leave school long before completing their education—not because they lack potential, but because of barriers such as early marriage, female ge***al mutilation (FGM), teenage pregnancy, and the realities of pastoralist life, where many girls are often expected to care for livestock instead of attending school.

With support from Conservation International (CI), NRT is helping rewrite this story through the Female Teacher Mentorship Programme.

Across 23 conservancy schools, female intern teachers are walking alongside girls, creating safe spaces, offering guidance, encouraging them to stay in school, and supporting those who have dropped out to return and continue their education.

Recently, the NRT Education Programme team visited five conservancy schools in Samburu and Marsabit counties, where the programme is being implemented, to monitor its progress and learn firsthand how female mentors are transforming girls' educational journeys.

The visits revealed encouraging stories of resilience and hope. Girls who had left school after becoming pregnant are returning to continue their education. More learners are finding the confidence to speak openly about the challenges they face, while schools are reporting improved attendance, stronger academic performance, higher retention rates, and more girls progressing to the next levels of their education.

By investing in girls' education today, NRT, Conservation International, and partners including the Lucille Foundation are helping nurture confident young women who will shape stronger communities, contribute to conservation, and inspire future generations across northern Kenya.

Read the full story on our website: https://www.nrt-kenya.org/news-2/2026/7/22/breaking-the-silence-how-the-female-teacher-mentorship-programme-is-helping-girls-stay-in-schoo

Healthy ecosystems don’t happen by chance. They are built by communities with the knowledge, skills and leadership to manage them sustainably.

61 representatives from seven NRT member community conservancies recently completed a four-day leadership and governance training in Lamu, strengthening their capacity to champion Nature-based Solutions, conservation, and sustainable community development across Kenya's coast.

The training brought together participants from Community Forest Associations (CFAs), Beach Management Units (BMUs), and partner institutions across Lamu, Tana River, and Garissa counties. Delivered in two modules, it equipped participants with practical leadership and governance skills to strengthen local institutions and support community-led stewardship of natural resources.

Since its introduction in 2016, the programme has trained 550 community leaders (345 women and 205 men), helping build stronger local institutions that are better equipped to conserve biodiversity, strengthen livelihoods, and deliver lasting environmental outcomes.

This training was facilitated by NRT with support from the Embassy of Denmark in Kenya and Somalia through the Nature-Based Solutions, Water and Energy Project, reinforcing a shared commitment to community-led conservation and resilient coastal landscapes.

Strong and sustainable community conservancies are built through inclusive dialogue, active community participation and informed decision-making.

Earlier this week, we conducted a community engagement meeting in Letea, Kakuma Sub-County, as part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) processes across the western Turkana borderland. These engagements help communities better understand the community conservancy model, as well as the opportunities and responsibilities that come with managing their landscapes and natural resources. They also play an important role in enabling communities to make informed decisions about their future.

The meeting brought together over 300 local leaders, elders, women and youth representatives, and community members, creating space for open discussions on governance, ecological restoration, sustainable livelihoods, and the long-term stewardship of community resources.

Together, we extensively discussed how strong community ownership and effective leadership can help lay the foundation for resilient conservancies that will support both people and nature for generations.

These efforts form part of the European Union-funded initiative, “𝘚𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘌𝘹𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘈𝘥𝘫𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘒𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘱𝘰–𝘛𝘶𝘳𝘬𝘢𝘯𝘢 𝘓𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘜𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘒𝘦𝘯𝘺𝘢,” implemented by NRT in close collaboration with partners in Kenya and Uganda.

European Union in Kenya

From June 16-18, Kenya hosted the 11th Our Ocean Conference (OOC11) — the first-ever edition of the global conference to be held on African soil. Held in Mombasa, this landmark summit brought together global leaders, scientists, civil society, youth, and the private sector to advance solutions for healthier, safer and more resilient oceans.

At the conference, NRT joined partners in showcasing community-led marine conservation and blue economy initiatives from Kenya's coast, highlighting how local communities are helping protect marine biodiversity, strengthen climate resilience, and build sustainable livelihoods through nature-based solutions.

Together with Fauna & Flora and other partners, NRT also co-hosted a session on empowering local community leadership in ocean conservation. Under the theme “Supporting Community Champions to Become Local Leaders,” our presentation highlighted the importance of grassroots leadership, local ecological knowledge, and community-driven approaches in shaping the future of ocean action.

The conference also provided an important opportunity to amplify the voices of women and youth conservation champions from Kenya's coastal communities, while sharing lessons and experiences with practitioners and decision-makers from around the world.

We were honoured to welcome H.E. Dr. William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya, alongside other national and county leaders, to the joint exhibition booth, where they learned more about the impact of community-led conservation efforts across the Lamu–Tana Seascape.

As global conversations on ocean conservation continue to evolve, community leadership remains central to building a future where both people and marine ecosystems can thrive. 🌊🌍🤝

We extend our sincere gratitude to Fauna & Flora and the County Government of Lamu for their collaboration and support in amplifying the voices, experiences, and impact of coastal communities on the global stage.



Oceans Alive Kenya • Action For Ocean • Ocean Revolution Moçambique • Mwambao Coastal Community Network • Comred

🌍 Project Statement

The Northern Kenya Rangelands Carbon Project (NKRCP) has completed a procedural quality control review (QCR) under the Verra Verified Carbon Standard (VCS). With the review concluded, the project has resumed issuing credits and returned to the carbon market. It marks an important milestone for a community-led project that has delivered significant impact for participating communities for more than a decade.

Read the full Project Statement here:

https://www.nrt-kenya.org/news-2/2026/6/18/northern-kenya-rangelands-carbon-project-returns-to-the-market-following-conclusion-of-verra-section-6-review

Northern Kenya Rangelands Carbon Project Returns to the Market Following Conclusion of Verra Section 6 Review — Northern Rangelands Trust The Northern Kenya Rangelands Carbon Project (NKRCP) has completed a procedural quality control review (QCR) under the Verra Verified Carbon Standard (VCS). With the review concluded, the project has resumed issuing credits and returned to the carbon market. It marks an important milestone for a com

Communities are playing a vital role in restoring Kenya's coastal ecosystems.

Through the Community-Based Ecological Mangrove Restoration (CBEMR) initiative, NRT and its partners are working alongside local communities across the Lamu–Tana Seascape to restore at least 651 hectares of degraded mangrove ecosystems by 2028.

During a community-led restoration drive in May, more than 80 local restoration champions were engaged, 33,262 mangrove seedlings planted, and nurseries established with 35,571 seedlings to support future restoration efforts.

By restoring mangrove ecosystems, communities are strengthening biodiversity conservation, enhancing climate resilience, and supporting sustainable coastal livelihoods through nature-based solutions.

We appreciate the support of the Embassy of Denmark in Kenya and Somalia through the Nature-Based Solutions, Water and Energy Project (2025–2028), which we are implementing, and the continued collaboration of our partners and local communities who are helping restore and safeguard these critical coastal ecosystems.



The Nature Conservancy in Africa • Fauna & Flora • Kenya Wildlife Service • Kenya Forest Service • Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute • Kenya Fisheries Service • County Government of Lamu

Yesterday, we had the pleasure of welcoming Justdiggit CEO, Marjolein Albers at West Gate Community Conservancy, during a joint field visit to assess the progress and impact of ongoing community-led rangeland restoration efforts in Samburu County.

Together, we visited two restoration sites within the conservancy — Napurpurana and Narikoo — where community members shared their experiences, lessons, and achievements in healing degraded rangelands and strengthening local resilience.

Through the TWENDE (Towards Ending Drought Emergencies) Project, NRT and Justdiggit have partnered with communities to rehabilitate more than 1,500 hectares of degraded land across Westgate, Kalama and Sera Community Conservancies in Samburu County. The partnership has also supported the establishment of grass seed banks in Biliqo Bulesa Community Conservancy in Isiolo County, helping strengthen community-led restoration, sustainable rangeland management, and climate resilience.

Through this visit, we reaffirmed the value of long-term partnerships and community stewardship in regreening landscapes and strengthening the foundations of local nature-based livelihoods.

Thriving community conservancies are built on a foundation of strong and accountable leadership.

We have concluded a three-day induction training for 17 newly elected board members of Morungole Community Conservancy and six board members from Naperotom Community Conservancy in Uganda.

The training sought to strengthen governance and leadership capacity by equipping board members with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively steward their conservancies, natural resources, and community institutions.

Through practical sessions and discussions, participants learned about governance structures and roles within the NRT community conservancy model, leadership values, ethics and codes of conduct, internal fundraising and sustainability, as well as key conservancy policies and procedures. Interactive exercises also helped strengthen teamwork, communication, inclusivity, and collaborative decision-making.

The sessions provided an important opportunity for board members to reflect on their responsibilities, ask critical questions around accountability and performance, and deepen their understanding of what effective conservancy governance looks like in practice.

During the training, members of Morungole Community Conservancy also elected representatives to key governance committees, including finance, grazing, and tourism, further strengthening the structures that support effective leadership and management.

Also in attendance were representatives from the Uganda Conservation Foundation, the National Forestry Authority, and senior local government administrative officers, reflecting the collaborative partnerships that shape effective community conservation.

European Union in Uganda • European Union in Kenya